MEN’S HOOPS RANKED IN THE TOP 25 MID-MAJOR POLL FOR FIRST TIME EVER

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- For the first time in school history, the Sacramento State men's basketball program has been ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll. The Hornets make their poll debut at No. 25 among all mid-major institutions.

Sacramento State, which wasn't receiving votes in the poll last week, made the jump all the way to No. 25 after home victories against Idaho and Eastern Washington. Saturday's victory propelled the Hornets into sole possession of first place in the Big Sky standings, and came against an Eastern Washington squad that had been ranked 13th in the poll (now 14th).

The Hornets (11-6, 5-1) have won six of their last seven games, and sit atop the Big Sky standings this late into the season for the first time ever.

Here are some additional notables on the season thus far....

• The 5-1 conference record is the team's best since joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996-97.
• The 11-6 overall record is the best after 17 games since the 2005-06 season and second best since joining the Div. I ranks in 1991-92.
• Sacramento State is 8-1 at home this year, and has won 16 of its last 18 home games dating back to last season.
• The Hornets are 4-0 at home against conference opponents, and have won 12 of their last 14 games at home vs. Big Sky opposition.
• Among the nation's leaders, Sacramento State currently ranks 14th in both field goal percentage (.491) and 3-point field goal percentage (.403), as well as 28th in free throw percentage (.741).
• In Big Sky play, the Hornets are averaging 78.8 points per game, and their field goal percentage (.524) and 3-point field goal percentage (.461) are easily the top marks in the conference
• Sacramento State has improved its conference record every year of head coach Brian Katz's seven-year tenure with the program, including a 10-10 mark last season. The Hornets are on pace to improve that record again this year.
• The Hornets have two 1,000 point scorers on the roster in senior guards and co-captains Dylan Garrity (1,188) and Mikh McKinney (1,137). The pair became just the sixth and seventh players to reach 1,000 points during the program's Div. I era.
• All three seniors from last year's squad graduated last month, and of the 21 players that have expired their eligibility during Coach Katz's tenure, 19 have graduated.